


msannomalley reviews Ghost Ships of Planet Mir/Ghost Fleet from Hell

by PrairieChzHead (msannomalley)



Series: msannomalley Reviews Battle of the Planets/Gatchaman [3]
Category: Battle of the Planets, Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman & Related Fandoms, Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman | Science Ninja Team Gatchaman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-23
Packaged: 2018-03-25 11:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3808429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msannomalley/pseuds/PrairieChzHead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoiler Alert: G-2 FINALLY gets to shoot the missiles. And then he finds out that the bird missile supply is a set number. We also get to meet Red Impulse and his douchestache for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ghost Ships of Planet Mir

The episode opens up for once with something other than 7-Zark-7.  Instead, we see a ship sailing and it is foggy out.  One of the crew, a dude named Fuller, is telling his captain in effect that the fog is creeping him out.  The captain, who sounds just like the guy who does the voice-over during the opening credits, tells Fuller, in effect, that he's a pansy.  Not in those exact words, but his tone suggested that Fuller was being a pansy.  Everything seems to be okay, radar shows zilch, when suddenly a ghost ship appears.

Cut to Zark (which means something bad happened that got edited out of this.).  Zark is babbling about Center Neptune being a prototype of other bases or something like that which are going to be built in other places.  Then he starts bragging about how his designs are incorporated into these.  Yeah, whatever.  Then he goes on to say that one of the Intergalactic Federations biggest projects is nearing completion.  The project just so happens to be on Planet Mir (pronounced "mer", like the stuff that one of the wise men gave to Baby Jesus, not the space station that was plagued with so many problems) in Cygnus A (or 8). Then Zark "flies" over to his perpetually dirty monitors.  Cygnus A (or 8) is the first radio galaxy and Zark also says that they just got video there.  I think he means that they can contact the galaxy by radio or video and not that they didn't have radio or video there.  Okay.  Zark complains that he can't get a clear picture on his upper monitor today.  So up go the legs and he starts wiping the monitor without benefit of glass cleaner.  Then he babbles something about wishing that they could find a janitor with longer legs.  Hey, Zark?  Maybe your picture's so bad from your constantly wiping the screens and smearing them.  You do make a lot of noise when you wipe them, you know.

Anyway, video feed is restored (read:  the stuff we had to edit out in order not to offend the censors is now over).  "Video" is showing the ocean on Mir and Zark is nattering on about how Mir is the last place he would have picked to build this facility or whatever it is that is being built.  Then there's some babbling about robots not being superstitious and this area is also known as "The Graveyard of Ships".  Three supply ships went down there in the past week and one just today.

The scene changes to this facility that Zark was talking about before, a new energy and food center.  In the background, what I can only describe as "Tinkly Fish Music" is playing in the background.  There are a lot of tinkly noises behind flutes playing and this music always is playing when fish are swimming by (like in Episode Two.)  This facility will have a fish breeding farm (the food) and some oil stuff (the energy) and it won't pollute the ocean.  Zark continues on, saying that this facility would have been completed if it weren't for those supply ships that went down.

Then, we see Security Chief Anderson (how do those glasses stay up without the stems anyway?  He is Dr. Nambu in Gatchaman.) and President Kane (who is called Chief Anderson in Gatchaman.) in a meeting regarding the sunken ships.  The Prez doesn't like this situation and says something needs to be done.  Anderson says that somebody doesn't want the new center built on Mir (I thought they were on Mir in the first place.)  The Prez says, "Your Master Robot, 7 Zark 7, reported sighting a space ship in that area."  Master?  Master??  'Scuse me, I'm going to giggle now

Okay, I'm back.  Chief Anderson replies that Zoltar pops up everywhere when they're trying to establish new supply bases.  Kane suspects Brock, the deposed leader of Planet Mir (not the guy from Pokemon), as the one behind this.  Kane believes that Brock has joined forces with Zoltar in order to get his leadership position back.  Then they decide that help must be sent to Mir to stop that "greedy, unscrupulous pair".  Which means, G-Force.

Back to the Ship's Graveyard.  A sub is rising above the ruins of a ship and starts traveling.  Cut to the inside and His Purpleness, Zoltar appears on a screen to talk to Brock.  I know the dude in the chair is Brock because Zoltar calls him that. Zoltar tells Brock that the new food and energy facility has to be destroyed and natters on about it like all bad guys do.  Finally, they show Brock's face.  Brock.  Is he supposed to be an insect or a plant?  Or maybe the Fifth Bugaloo?   He's basically dressed in green and red.  He's got two bug antennae on his head, "lips" for eyes in his mask (it was pointed out on the commentary track for the ADV dub of the Gatchaman version of either this episode or episode six, since the same villain appears in both, that those lips look like the Rolling Stones lips without the tongue), and what can only be described as either flower petals or blades of grass for his collar.  I think Brock's choice of wardrobe is probably the reason why he got overthrown.

Moving on, next we cut to a pair of legs on water skis.  Finally.  Almost eight minutes into the episode, and we get to see G-Force.  Mark is driving a boat, towing Princess and Keyop behind.  They are the water skiers.  Keyop is hot-dogging on the skis and Princess is wearing a not so attractive red bikini that makes her look kind of fat.  Mark yells out to them to "Watch out for the jump!" There are a pair of water ski ramps up ahead.   Princess and Keyop take the jump.  Princess handles it perfectly.  Keyop falls down.

Back to the beach, and we see Tiny standing there, complaining to Jason (who we don't see yet) about when it's their turn to go into the water.  Jason, (who we now see, sitting in a beach chair and wearing sunglasses) sounding extremely unenthusiastic, informs Tiny that it's their turn to stand watch.  Jason says it's a big drag, but the second they drop their guard, something bad happens.  As he is saying this, we are seeing the beach from Jason's point of view and it looks like we're not looking through his sunglasses, but rather his eye.  And I think he's looking at the girl that's standing near Tiny, too. 

Cut to Mark in his plane.  Chief Anderson radios him, telling him that he has to cut his vacation short.  Mark replies, "Hey Chief!  I'm just gettin' loose!"  You gotta love that 70's slang.

But if they were on vacation, why did Jason and Tiny have to keep watch?  Was this a Mark-Princess-Keyop only vacation and Tiny and Jason couldn't have any fun?  What's up with that?

Back to the episode.  Chief gives Mark his orders and then Mark is "off and winging."  Then we get the whole Transmute! sequence and Mark docking with the Phoenix stock footage stuff.  Mark is finally in the Phoenix, in the commander's seat, and he gives the order to Tiny to head for outer space.  Tiny replies, "Big Ten".  Gotta love that 70's CB slang, don't you?  When he's saying that, he looks like he's kind of stoned, so maybe he got to have his vacation after all.  But shouldn't they have someone else fly the ship?

Anyway....Now we get the  **Sandy Frank Stock Footage of Space Travel Where All Routes Have to Go Past Saturn.** Then, floating in the sky is Planet Mir, which looks suspiciously like Zarkadia, from Ep. 3, which also looks suspiciously like chocolate covered peanuts or something else that is brown and clustery.  Mark announces that they've arrived at Mir and then gives Tiny orders, in one of the most patronizing voices I've ever heard, to head straight for the ocean and find that sub.

The Phoenix travels underwater near what looks like a lot of junk.  Jason remarks that it's a "sad scene out there."  There is no sign of the sub.  Mark orders Jason to try using the Infra Scanner to find the sub.  Jason does and his jumps into his seat, something I thought was kind of amusing.  The sub shows up and Mark tells Tiny, again in a very patronizing manner, to go after it.  Tiny replies, "Big Ten" and starts heading after the sub.  Tiny must have the patience of a saint or something, because I don't think I would ever talk to a guy as big as him in that patronizing, loud voice that some people use when they are talking to small children, mentally challenged people, or the elderly.  Not if I wanted to live.  If I were in his shoes, I'd want to deck Mark for talking to me in such a tone of voice.

Moving on again...

We're now in the cockpit of the sub, and Brock informs Zoltar that everything is going according to plan and that they've lured G-Force.  Zoltar praises the plant/bug man but warns him that G-Force is very resourceful, but that it can also be a disadvantage for them.

Back on the Phoenix, the sub disappears from their scanners.  Jason informs Mark of this development, and Mark, in that same patronizing tone, replies that the sub cut its engines.  I have to say that Mark is damn lucky that Jason and Condor Joe (Jason's Gatchaman counterpart) have not switched places and ended up on each other's shows because Joe would have kicked Mark's ass into next month for using that tone of voice.  I'm sure if Jason hadn't been censored by Winnifred Whateverherlastnameis (the standards and practices person listed in the end credits), he would have kicked Mark's ass into next month for using that tone of voice.

So now the Phoenix goes off after that "sitting duck" the sub, and we get more Zark ramblings.  Zark is babbling about how remarkable the Phoenix is because it can travel both in outer space and underwater.  Um, Zark?  We already know that!  Episode Two, remember?  The Phoenix was underwater in that one, too.  Then he natters on about how worried he gets about G-Force when they're on missions.  Zark, might I suggest some Paxil or another anti-depressant type drug that people take for anxiety?  Then he radios G-Force and tells them that they might be headed into a trap and that they should get out of there.  Mark agrees with Zark, the walking Metal Garbage Can, and orders Tiny to go up.  Tiny replies, "It's my pleasure," but hedoesn't look too happy.

The Phoenix goes up into a very thick fog.  Mark orders Tiny to turn on the fog lights.  These lights emanate from the wing pods where Princess's and Keyop's vehicles are stored.  Mark says, "That's not fog!" and then he points.  The fog is swirling.  He says it's Man Made and that Zark was right about this whole thing being a set up.  Then one of the Ghost Ships they saw on the bottom of the ocean appears.  Suddenly, it's guns start firing at the Phoenix.  The Phoenix dodges the bullets and gets out of the way.  Everyone sighs with relief, except for Jason, who says "Why all those big sighs of relief, team?  We're not out of this yet."  Then Mark orders Tiny to use the infra red probe to see what else is out there.  The infra red shows the fog machine.  Then Mark asks Jason if he thinks that the fog machine is one of Mir's defense weapons.  Jason says no and wants to blow it up.  He runs up to the Big Red Button and is about to push it, when Mark stops him.  "No Jason!"  he says in that patronizing voice and grabs Jason's hand to keep him from pushing the Big Red Button.  If I were Jason, I'd be thinking about declaring a mutiny or something.  Mark says that they might be firing on their Allies and that he has to check with Chief Anderson first.  He calls the Chief and explains to them that they want to knock out the fog machine, but he doesn't know if it's one of Mir's defenses.  Does the Chief know?  The Chief says no he doesn't know, but to knock it out anyway.  He says this without a moment's hesitation, unlike Nambu Hakase (his Gatchaman counterpart) who had to think about it first.

They get the order to go ahead.  The panel covering the button opens.  The missile launcher comes into view.  Then a shot of Jason looking very determined, the missiles, the fog machine, Jason, the fog machine, and then Jason's finger over the Big Red Button.  He fires seven missiles into the fog machine, even though the first one he fired blew it up.  I guess when you're the frustrated second and chief gunner and you get permission to fire the missiles, you're really going to fire the missiles to make up for all those times that they wouldn't let you fire the missiles.

The fog machine now destroyed, the sun comes out.  Down below, the ships that had made up the Graveyard of the Sea are now floating on the surface of the ocean.  Mark points this out to Jason, and Jason replies, "Let's put 'em back there."  Mark is not sure.  Jason replies, "They're robots, remote controlled.  I can pick 'em off easy."  Then he fires some more missiles.  Lots more missiles.  Somehow I get the feeling that Jason is having a lot fun pushing that Big Red Button, because he is really going to town here.  He keeps pushing that button and blowing up the ghost ships.

Then one of the ghost ships that didn't get hit starts to sink and self destruct.  Then a bunch of flying saucers come out of the ocean.  The saucers take to the air and start firing at the Phoenix.  Jason, now having a new target to shoot at, starts launching off missiles again.  He shoots down a lot of these saucers, when  **HE RUNS OUT OF MISSILES.** He looks at the button in surprise and the screen goes red, except for the part that isn't covering Jason's eyes.

Jason keeps pushing the button, as if pushing it will re-stock them.  Mark says, "Jason, it's empty!"  To which Jason replies, "It can't be!  Just a little more and I can..."

Now that G-Force is up the proverbial creek named after a type of human waste product, and without a paddle, I might add, the Phoenix valiantly tries to avoid the shots coming from the saucers.  But they can't seem to shake them.  To everyone else's credit, nobody yells at Jason for wasting seven missiles on the fog machine.

Just when we think that their goose is cooked (I know, gro-o-o-o-o-an!), three red airplanes come flying out of nowhere and start picking off the saucers. They are fighters from Mir, whom I guess are friendly or something.  I think Mark should redefine his meaning of "friendly" because these guys come awfully close to shooting down the Phoenix a couple of times, not to mention the near strafing they do, too.  Despite this, Mark thanks them and compliments them on their "good flying".  I think Mark needs to redefine his definition of "good flying".

With that all done, we are now back with President Kane and Chief Anderson.  President Kane, talking with a cigar in his mouth, mumbles something about how everything is saved because of G-Force.  He wants to give them a reward, but Chief Anderson says no, G-Force doesn't expect any rewards for doing their job.  Chief Anderson lights the President's cigar for him.  Then he says, that if the President insists, they'd probably like to finish their vacation.  Then we see G-Force scuba diving and playing with a large turtle.  Princess and Mark smile at each other and then we cut back to Zark.

Zark is nattering on about G-Force sending him a postcard saying "Glad You're Not Here".  He explains it's because they know that Zark would rust in the water and that the sun isn't good for his circuits.  Judging from the personalities on the show, my theory is that Jason really sent that postcard and just signed it from everyone, because I agree with the Popular Fan Fic Notion that Jason doesn't like Zark very much.  I wouldn't either if I were referred to as "a bit hot-headed and just a trifle eager sometimes" and saying it as if it were a bad thing.  (So Sayeth Ms. Ann, here.)

Then Zark goes up to his "ready room" and Susan "That'll be $3.99 For the First Minute" from Planet Pluto calls.  Zark is all excited, as evidenced by his antennae popping up ("Schwing!") Susan, in her phone sex operator's voice, says she hates to disturb Zark.  Zark replies that he likes the way she disturbs him (uh, ick!).  Susan thinks Zark is going to take his vacation and goes on about Zark "flipping his fosdic over a slot machine" and how they are only gold diggers.  Zark tells her he's canceling his vacation.  Apparently Zark is "whipped". 

* * *

**A Few Thoughts From Ms. Ann:**

 Ms. Ann likes this episode because there is a lot of Jason in it and he gets to do something other than say he wants to blow something up.  He actually gets to blow something up.  He gets to say more than "Let's fire a missile at it" for once, too.  This one rates High on the G-2 Visibility Scale.

One thing I liked:  For the first time, we get to see the entire team out of their uniforms and in civilian mode.

As mentioned before, if G-Force is on vacation, why do Tiny and Jason have to stand watch?  Isn't that Zark's job?  Or was Zark too busy flirting with Susan from Planet Pluto to do his job?  Or maybe he was "paying special attention" to Princess to keep watch?

Casey Kasem's voicing of Mark in this episode seriously bothered the crap out of me.  He made Mark sound so much like a patronizing know it all in this one, I wanted to reach through the screen and hit him.  Somebody needs to take Mark aside and explain to him that a good commander does not patronize his crew if he wants his crew to have respect for him and then send him on a mission with only Joe the Condor from Gatchaman.  I am pretty sure that Mark will come back with the attitude adjustment he so desperately needs.

I don't know if I have a favorite line in this, but one of my favorite moments is when Jason is firing missiles at the ghost ships and he does it with such gusto, pushing that button like there's no tomorrow.   _I got permission to fire the damn missiles, so I'm going to fire the damn missiles_ , thinks he.

One funny anecdote:   My wonderful husband, Mr. Ann O'Malley misheard Susan's little tirade the first time we watched the DVD.  He thought she said "slip your fosdic" instead of "flip your fosdic". And he went into a bout of hysterical laughter over this.  I mention it because it's cute.


	2. Ghost Fleet from Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The review was originally written in 2002 and based off the Rhino releases of the Battle of the Planets DVD's. There was no English dub at the time; so my review is based off Rhino's Japanese subtitled version.

We open the show underwater, with scenes of marine life in their natural habitat.  The Narrator tells us that there are many mysteries lying in the ocean and how sailors talk about and fear the legendary Ships' Graveyard. According to legend, ships that sink gather at this graveyard.  But on the other hand, the sea can also appear gentle and beautiful.  As the narrator is saying this, fish are swimming by and there is that Tinkly Fish Music playing in the background. Mr. Narrator says that the sea is the Mother, that long ago gave birth to all life on Earth.  Humans have taken salt and fish from the sea to survive.  (This is leading to something, folks, trust me.) Now the International Science Organization (henceforth to be known as ISO) has built an underwater fish farm to make the sea a beautiful place with no pollution.  We see a building complex underwater, and we are informed that this is the fish breeding farm.

Now we're on the surface again and a ship is sailing by.  One of the officers (Fuller in BoTP) tells the captain that he thinks they are straying into the Ship's Graveyard.  The captain tells his officer not to be ridiculous.  It seems that this ship has been sent by ISO on an ocean research and development mission.  The officer apologizes.  Radar shows nothing, and then the Ghost Ship appears.  The ghost ship fires a torpedo at the ISO ship.  Everyone panics and runs around.  We see guns firing at the ISO ship.  The same people panic some more.  More ammo is fired at the ISO ship, knocking a guy out of his chair.  The Ghost Ship keeps firing at the ISO ship until it blows up completely.

Cut to the Underwater Fish Farm and to Chief Anderson (President Kane in BoTP.) and Dr. Nambu (who was called Chief Anderson in Battle of the Planets.  I'm just as confused as you are, folks.).  Chief Anderson notes that ISO has lost five ships so far to the Graveyard of the Sea.  Nambu replies that sailors have been afraid of getting close to that area for ages.  Anderson protests that this is the Age of Science and he tells Nambu to look at the beautiful underwater oil wells.  Anderson also says that ISO created these underwater oil wells that don't pollute the sea. Then he talks about the fish farms.  Anderson says that this is wonderful and that science has brought back their beautiful sea, from which the human race will benefit.  Nambu reminds the Chief that Galactor (Spectra), where the Chief interrupts Nambu to say "Yes, that damned Galactor.  They are our worst enemies."  Anderson blames the mystery of the Graveyard of the Sea on Galactor.  Nambu thinks that Galactor will come after the underwater fish farm and the oil wells.

Sure enough, we cut away to a sub rising and floating away.  The Bugaloo's Reject (see BoTP Ep Five ) is talking to Berg Katse (Zoltar on BoTP) on the monitor.  Katse is giving Bug Man his orders from Sosai X (Oh Luminous One on BoTP).  Sosai believes that in order for Galactor to conquer the Earth, they must first conquer the Seven Seas.  He orders Bug Man to destroy ISO's fish farm/oil refinery.

Back to ISO's Fish Farm/Oil Refinery.  Chief Anderson and Dr. Nambu are walking down the hallway, discussing Galactor again.  Anderson says that this fish farm/oil rig must be protected at all costs.  Nambu tells the Chief that the Science Ninja Team (aka Kagaku Ninja Tai, known as G-Force in BoTP) has been called to "this island" (but they're underwater, say I.)  Anderson says that is good and wants to know what they are doing.  Nambu says nobody knows about that except for him and he's the only one who knows their true identities.

And now to the island with the same shot of waterskiing legs we saw in BoTP.  Ken (Mark) is driving the boat and Jun (Princess) and Jinpei (Keyop without the stutter) are waterskiing.  Jinpei tells Ken to go faster. Jun says "Yeah!"  Ken tells Jinpei to get ready as a pair of waterskiing ramps is up ahead. Jun sails over the ramp with no problem, but Jinpei loses his balance and goes falling into the water.  Ken says "How clumsy!  Are you really an Iga Ninja descendant?"  Jinpei pops out of the water, spouts the water out of his mouth and says "Shame on me."

Meanwhile, on land, Ryu (Tiny), standing on the beach, says he can't do stunts like that and he's bored. Then Joe (Jason), sitting on the beach chair, tells Ryu not to look so miserable and that they're not here to have fun.  Ryu says he knows that, but.....  Then Joe mumbles about getting his revenge on Galactor, which is a  **Major Plot Point** in the series and the first time we hear that Joe wants revenge on Galactor.  Then Joe pulls his sunglasses off and shouts out, "What's that?"  Ryu turns around and looks.  Out in the water, we see a black blob of something. This black stuff is surrounding the boat with Ken, Jun, and Jinpei.  They look down at it and see the dead fish floating in the black stuff.  Ken says that oil is leaking, that "this is bad" and they should head back for the island.

Cut back to the underwater fish farm/oil rig.  Torpedoes come at it and hit it. The Ghost Ship has found it.  Water comes pouring in and the same people who ran in panic on the ISO ship somehow made their way to the fish farm and are running in panic there.  (In other words, Stock Footage).  We see another torpedo, and then the same stock footage (that's four times so far in this episode.)  Then we see a rather rotund guy in an outfit that I can only describe as a one piece short sleeved dress shirt/tie/pants combo saying that it's the Ghost Ship!  Back to this guy's outfit.  It is extremely unflattering and a definite Fashion Don't.  Then the guy says "I can't believe it!  It's a nightmare!"  So's your outfit, Mister.  Apparently Galactor doesn't like this guy's fashion sense either, because they aim a torpedo straight at him.  He runs away, and we get to see the full effect of the Hideous Outfit.  His pants are tucked into boots and it looks like the wearer probably suffers from that dreaded affliction known as "mooseknuckle" from time to time. 

Cut to Ken's plane.  He's in the cockpit and ready to fly when Nambu calls him.  Nambu tells him of the attack by this submarine and that the Kagaku Ninja Tai should follow it.  Why not destroy it?  asketh I.  Ken doesn't ask this either, which I think he should.  He just says "Roger" and his plane takes off.  He says "Bird Go" and does the whole transmute thing.  Then we get the stock footage of the G-1 docking with the Phoenix.   On board, he tells Ryu to take the God Phoenix underwater and he does.

Our heroes go to the scene of the destruction of the fish farm/oil rig (which was never explained in BoTP.  You just had a pile of rubble that didn't look like ships on the ocean and no explanation of what it was).  Joe says "This is terrible.  Damned Galactor."  Ken tells Joe to use the sonar and he says this in a non patronizing voice (unlike Mark).  Joe says Roger and runs over to the sonar and jumps in the seat. He pushes a button.  Then he looks up to find the sub on the sonar.   Ken tells Ryu to follow the sub at "maximum speed".  Ryu does.

On board the sub, Bug Man tells Berg Katse that the God Phoenix is following the sub.  Then he asks Katse if he should fire at it?  Um, Mr. Bug Man?  You're the bad guy.  Your enemy is following you.  What do you think?  Katse calls him an idiot and says Bug Man is no match for the KNT.  Instead, he is to lure them to the Graveyard of the Sea.

Back on the Phoenix, the sub disappears from the radar.  Joe (not Ken/Mark) says that the sub cut its engines.  Ken replies, "Is that so?  I wanted to have a look at it."  Then he tells Ryu to keep going ahead. Jun and Jinpei are all scared like, and Joe comes up from his station to the front. Seems they found the Graveyard of the Sea.  Jinpei is clinging to Jun, telling her that "this is so creepy".  Jun pushes him away and tells Jinpei to "be a man."  Wasn't she scared just a minute ago?  Then Ken sees a submarine.  He thinks it might be the one they were following and tells Ryu to "hold it here."   Jun says that the sub is too broken up to be operational.  Ryu says that they're all ships that were sunk during wars.  Then he wonders why people have wars.  Jinpei, looking dead at the television audience, says it's because bad people order them to go to war.  Then Jun wonders if maybe Galactor is also ordered by someone.  (At this point, the team doesn't know about Berg Katse or Sosai X as they have yet to see them.)  Then Joe says, standing with his arms crossed over his chest and that Famous Condor Scowl on his face, "Don't you think this is a little strange?"  Ken says, "What is?"  Joe points out that all kinds of ships--tankers, cruise ships and fishing ships--have sunk but he only sees war ships.  Jun agrees with Joe. Ken also agrees and says that this is no ordinary Graveyard of the Sea.  He wants to investigate and orders Ryu to take the ship to the surface.

When they surface, they hit the fog.  Ryu turns on the fog lights and Ken points out that the fog is whirling.  He thinks it might be man made. He thinks they'll find a clue at the center.  Ken tells Ryu to go slowly.  They go ahead and then run into the Ghost Ship (not literally run into it).  The Ghost Ship fires on the God Phoenix and the ship is "rattled" and we know this because those who are standing kind of lose their step for a moment.  Jinpei throws his arms around Ken's neck. The God Phoenix dodges the bullets and gets out of the way.  Ryu wonders what the heck that was and Ken says it was a close call.  Jun and Jinpei heave sighs of relief. Joe says to them, in a moment of machismo, "What's with you?  That was nothing.  Are you really Science Ninjas?" I should point out that Joe is sweating (the standard anime method of indicating some sort of stress).

Ken tells Ryu to put the "ultra red" filter on the screen.  Ryu says 'kay and when he does, they see the fog machine.  Joe comes running up from his station and declares that he's going to blow it up with missiles.  Ken stops him, reminding Joe that they are not allowed to fire the Bird Missiles without permission from Dr. Nambu and that Joe knows it.  Ken contacts Nambu, explains that they've found the fog machine, but they can't unlock its secrets unless they destroy it.  He asks for the necessary permission to fire the Bird Missiles. He asks nicely and says "Please".  Nambu thinks about it.  And thinks about it.  And thinks about it some more.  Ken gets impatient.  Nambu thinks about it.  Ken gets more impatient. (I'm getting impatient.  Ken did say please, after all.  Just fire the missiles already!)  Then Nambu thinks some more.  Finally Nambu says he'll authorize it and they are to do it well.  Ken says Roger.  Then he says, "Joe."  Joe says "Yes".  The cover opens and we get the same Joe/missles/fog machine/Joe/fog machine/Big Red Button scene that was in BoTP.

Joe fires seven missiles at the fog machine even though the first one destroyed it.  Jinpei does a little cheer where his helmet falls over his eyes.  Then the sun comes out.  The Ghost Fleet from Hell is floating on the surface, as Ken points out to Joe. Joe says, "Okay, I'll destroy them."  Ken says, "Joe", implying that Joe probably shouldn't fire any more missiles.  Joe turns to Ken and says, "Who cares?  Dr. Nambu authorized it.  Let's do it thoroughly."  And Joe starts having a field day with that Big Red Button.  Then Joe says, "Shit" as he's pushing the button.  Joe says "shit" a lot, at least he does in the Rhino sub.  I don't know why he said "shit" then, unless the missiles weren't launching fast enough for him or something, even though he's just wailing away on that red button.  I don't know.  All I know is that we're seeing all of Joe's pent up frustration over being told he couldn't fire the Bird Missiles in the previous four episodes.  Jinpei does the same little cheer where his helmet falls over his eyes. "Blow them up!" he says.  "Blow them all up!"

Ken notices something strange and says so.  One of the ghost ships is sinking and self destructing. Then another, and then another.  Ken sees a flying saucer surfacing.  Then they all see many flying saucers surfacing.  They take to the air.  Joe says, "Shit, here we go." Then he starts firing missiles again. He keeps shooting them until there is only a clicking sound.  Yep, they  **Ran Out of Missiles.** Joe has this very priceless expression of disbelief on his face (and the red screen/box thing).  He pushes the button a couple more times. Ken asks Joe what's wrong.  Joe, who is sweating bullets right about now and still doesn't believe it, tells Ken that they're out of missiles.  Jun and Jinpei can't believe it either.

They try evading the saucers and their fire and Ken tells Ryu to dive into the sea.  As they are about to do it, three red planes show up, strafe the God Phoenix some, almost shoot down the God Phoenix, and also take out the saucers.  When they're finished, they fly by the God Phoenix and one of them laughs in a rather cocky way and says, "Science Ninja Team!  I am Red Impulse!"  Ken goes "Red Impulse?" (this is actually spoken in English and they pronounce it "redu impulsa").  Then Red Impulse says "We'll meet again." And they fly off, with RI laughing in a really cocky manner.  And we have just witnessed  **Another Major Plot Point** within the Gatchaman series.  What that is, I can't say right now because I don't want to give it away.

Then Ken wonders to himself who this Red Impulse is, enemy or friend?  He doesn't compliment RI on their flying, unlike his BoTP counterpart.

Back to the fish farm, which has been quickly rebuilt.  Chief Anderson and Nambu are looking out at the sea.  Chief remarks how beautiful the sea is, the way it should be, and they owe it all to Nambu and the Kagaku Ninja Tai.  He asks where they KNT are now, as Nambu lights the Chief's cigar for him.  Nambu says he doesn't know.  They must be working to stop the next Galactor plot or they could be out having fun.

They're having fun.  Underwater, with a turtle.  Fortunately for them, it's not Gamera nor Turtle King.  Ken and Jun look at each other and smile big (the anime closing of the eyes thing).  Then the closing credits.

* * *

**A Few Thoughts From Ms. Ann:**

I like this episode for some of the same reasons I liked the Battle of the Planets version.  It rates high on the G-2 visibility scale.

If you watch the two different versions of the show, you get a sense of how different the characters are from their counterparts and I think that this is especially true in the case of Ken and Mark.  Ken does not speak in a patronizing tone to the rest of the KNT in this episode.  He uses an authoritative tone of voice as one would expect from a commander.  In Gatchaman, it was Joe that said the sub turned off it's engines.  In BoTP, Mark said it.  It was Joe who said that they were out of missiles.  In BoTP, it was Mark.  So Mark came across as a know it all (and one of the reasons why I'm not too fond of him.  I've read some fan fic versions of Mark that I liked a lot, where he was more down to earth and not such a know it all.).  I guess as far as the Eagle goes, I prefer Ken over Mark.  Ken is not perfect.  I like my heroes to have flaws.  It makes them more interesting and multi-dimensional characters.

I think my favorite line/moment in this is when Joe, in reply to Ken, tells him "Who cares?  Dr. Nambu authorized it.  Let's do it thoroughly."  That line and the expression on Joe's face were priceless.

I also liked that in the beginning, when the team was on the island, it was implied that they were undercover, keeping watch, rather than on vacation.

Yes, I did sit there and count how many missiles were fired.  I was curious to know how many rounds the God Phoenix held.  I counted forty-six actual shots, and if you figure in shots that we didn't actually see here, my guess would be around fifty.

Back when I first started doing these reviews, this was the first episode I actually "reviewed"; hence, the BoTP character names in parentheses.  I wrote these (and probably will write these) out of order.  While I was revamping this review, I decided to leave those references intact. 


End file.
